


Rest  Ye Merry

by lightofdaye



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Diwali, F/M, Fluff, Hot Chocolate, Scheduling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 17:18:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9281912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightofdaye/pseuds/lightofdaye
Summary: Parvati and Harry rarely get a chance to catch their breath. Not even on Christmas Eve.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [mini fest 2016](http://mini-fest.livejournal.com)

The snow was falling thick and fast by the time Parvati Patil finished work on Christmas Eve, most of her colleagues had given up the ghost and headed home hours ago, but some of Parvati’s problem had just refused to be solved in time for the holidays.

Flocks of fairies were fluttering around the ceilings, boughs of holly hung over doorways and an excessive amount of tinsel was wrapped around the bars of the Ministry lifts. Parvati frowned slightly as the doors snapped shut and the lift descended to atrium.

The fires were all running low in the hearth but Parvati had never been a fan of travelling by Floor powder anyway. She reach the apparition point and turned on the spot disappearing and reappearing on the doorstep of the small suburban home that she shared with her boyfriend. The door swung open as Parvati approached. Warm air washed over Parvati as she entered the house and the door swung closed again. She crossed through the entrance hall into the lounge. 

Harry Potter sat on their sofa, just putting his wand down on the armrest. He looked tired. His eyes were dark, his hair rumpled as if he’d run his hand though it many times, and there were several thick files bulging with parchment piled upon his lap.

He smiled when he saw her though.

“Hey Parvati,” He said, “How are you?”

“Not so bad, not so bad.” She said, walking over and settling down next to him. “I thought you were supposed to be on holiday?”

For the last few days, in fact. The Minister had made him. It didn’t seem to have stuck.

“Weren’t you supposed to have clocked off at five?” Harry asked as, by very great coincidence, the clock on the side cabinet start to strike quarter to nine. _It’s probably fast,_ Parvati thought.

“I couldn’t leave things undone. People depend on them being finished.”

Harry spread his arms to indicate she had answered her own question. It was strange how Harry could be equal parts endearing and infuriating at the very same moment in time. He just didn’t like leaving his heroics incomplete.

“Point,” She said, relaxing back deeper into the sofa. “So what have you got going on?”

“Oh something like... Five Counterfeit Galleons, Four goblin hordes, three love potioneers, two dragon sightings, and Nargles in every Christmas Tree.”

“Love potioneers?” Parvati asked. Harry looked more worried about them than anything else.

“Everyone wants someone, especially this time of year,” Harry said dourly. “And they sometimes don’t care how they get it.”

Parvati sighed thoughtfully, then her arm whipped out, seized the folders and lightly chucked them, so they flew over the armrest and landing in a heap on top of several discarded copies of the Daily Prophet. 

“Hey, those were my cases!” Harry whined.

“We have bigger problems,” Parvati said fiercely. 

“Like what?”

“Like Christmas!”

“Sweetie, most people don’t consider Christmas a problem.”

“Most people don’t have our schedule!” Parvati retorted, pulling out her notepad and consulting her list. “Now we’ve got breakfast and present opening with Andromeda and Teddy, first thing. And then lunch at the Burrow. And then there’s the Minister’s speech and Carols in the evening and then on Boxing day we’re going to my parent’s and we’ve got...”

“Parvati?”

“to remember the presents for Padma’s kids and then!”

“Parvati!” Harry said, softly but firmly, cutting through her speech.

“What?” Parvati’s head whipped around the glare at his interruption. He looked appropriately chagrined. But not about that it turned out.

“Stand up,” he said.

“What?” She repeated.

“Humour me,” He said more gently.

Parvati hauled herself to her feet and was surprised when Harry did the same. He moved behind her, his hands encircling her body. 

“Forgive me,” He said softly, his lips near her ear. Parvati felt a warm feeling go down her spine. “I’ve been neglecting you. Stupid having a big discussion when you’ve just got in.“

“I’m not being stu..” Parvati’s started but quietened when Harry’s hands tugged at her robes, slipping the heavy outer garments off her shoulders and casting them over an armchair.

“Down.” She sat back down. And Harry waved his wand; a soft foot rest zoomed across the room, spilling more of their cases to carpet and placed itself under her feet as Harry slipped her boots off, one at a time and charmed them to walk themselves back to the door.

Harry settled himself back down on the sofa and placed his feet next to hers. He waved his wand twice more and the fire roared in the fireplace just a few feet from their feet casting its warmth over Parvati and a pair of mugs, nearly overflowing with frothy hot chocolate soared out of it and into their hands.

Parvati took a sip. It was remarkable how a few little changes were so relaxing. She took another gulp and felt the warmth spread through her. She hadn’t realised how cold the ministry office had been until now.

“You can’t solve every problem with cocoa, Harry,” she said grudgingly. 

“Ah, but imagine if I could!” Harry said with lopsided smile. “Look, all I really want to do tomorrow is give Teddy his present. We can beg off the rest of it if you want to. First Christmas together and all that, no-one could possibly object.”

“No, Harry, I didn’t,” Parvati blushed. “I like Teddy! And the Weasleys are like your family.”

“Kind of yeah,” He said, scratching his bearded cheek, “But then you and I are even more so. Wouldn’t you say?”

“No. I mean, yes but we should still go,” Parvati said, tripping over her words. They sat sipping their hot chocolate for a long moment of considerably easier silence. Then she said, without really meaning to. “Would Ginny be there?”

“Well yeah. She’s a Weasley after all.” Harry looked as if he were bracing himself. “And unattached at the moment, so she hasn’t got anywhere else to be.”

“Hmm,” Parvati grunted and then continued in quite a different tone. “Well we’ll have a lot of fun while we’re there I guess and you lived there for a while, didn’t you? I bet you know places where we could have a quickie.” 

Harry gave her a knowing look, and his hand found hers.

“I never did anything like that at The Burrow.” He squeezed her hand and his voice became softer and deeper as his face brushed close to her face. “And you know I like to take my time with you.”

A warmth entirely unconnected to the fire, rushed through Parvati. _He does as well_ she thought, memories of being held on the edge of release for an unreasonable length of time bubbling in her mind.

“But your parents are okay with meeting on Boxing day?” He said, his voice more level again and edged with a bit of concern.

“Of course they are Harry,” Parvati said, quickly. “It’s not like they even celebrate Christmas. It’s only been a month, you’ve not forgotten Diwali already have you?”

It wouldn’t have been easy. Candles and diya lanterns from the celebration were still scattered among the tinsel, strings of christmas cards and confetti of the current holiday.

“Of course not!” Harry insisted, grinning. “Teddy loved it!”

“You both loved it. Mostly because my parents insisted on stuffing you both with laddu and barfi until you were going to go pop,” Parvati smiled at the memory and rested her head on his shoulder. “And they loved the fireworks from George’s you brought.”

“It’s called the Festival of Light,” Harry said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. “I thought they were appropriate.”

“They were. So much so that I still had the bright spots on my vision last week!”

Harry laughed freely. He was warm and she snuggled up to him, sipping at the last of her drink and suddenly feeling very relaxed.

“You eaten yet?” Harry asked. “I could cook. I’m sure I have some turkey steaks in the fridge, somewhere.”

Parvati looked up. Adorable _and_ infuriating.

“Don’t you dare.” She said and pressed tighter to him. “Don’t you dare move.”

They sat, legs outstretched, socked feet bumping against each and bathed in the warm glow of their crackling fire, rested and content.


End file.
